The present invention relates generally to prediction systems and, more particularly, to methods and systems for predicting component failures in imaging devices.
Imaging devices, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices, are typically used to diagnose patients in medical environments. The generated magnetic resonance image is a map of weak magnetization originated from the atomic nuclei in the body tissue as influenced by presence of an external magnetic field. By detecting these influences, MRI devices produce detailed images of a patient's internal tissues and organs, thereby enabling diagnosis of disease, injuries, among other physiological conditions of a patient.
Typically, an MRI device includes a magnetic system disposed about a patient-receiving cavity. Such magnetic systems include a superconductive electromagnet that generates a static magnetic field, a plurality of gradient coils that effectuate gradient magnetic fields, and an RF coil that generates a high frequency magnetic field for exciting the atomic nuclei within the patient.
In traditional MRI systems, the superconductive electromagnet has a number of loops of coiled wire that are bathed in a cryogenic fluid, such as liquid helium. This cryogenic fluid cools the coiled wire to extremely low temperatures, maintaining the magnet in a superconducting state. Thermal insulating material and other heat transfer barriers, such as vacuum regions, are often provided to insulate the magnet and cryogenic fluid, to impede heat transfer between the magnet and the environment. To conserve cryogen, MRI devices generally include a cryogenic cooling system, which enables recondensation of volatilized cryogenic fluid back to a liquid phase.
In medical environments, customers often demand high availability of MRI devices. However, the cryogenic cooling system may require periodic maintenance, such as repair or replacement. Indeed, the performance of the cooling system components may degrade due to wear, thereby reducing its efficiency. Moreover leakage of cryogen from the magnet system may also reduce the efficiency of the cooling system.
However, repair of MRI devices is often a reactive process. That is, repair is not initiated until a malfunction, for example, has materialized. This can lead to unwanted downtime at the most inopportune moments. Such downtime can lead to loss of customers and increased repair costs.
Therefore, there is need for a method and system for enabling incipient failure detection and predicting time-to-failure of an MRI device.